Tennessee Hardware Store Puts Up 'No Gays Allowed' Sign

The owner, a Baptist minister, says 'I'm standing for what I believe in' and has no plans to take the sign down.

Jeff Amyx, who owns Amyx Hardware & Roofing Supplies in Grainger County, Tenn., says he taped the sign to his store's window in response to the Supreme Court's ruling on same-sex marriage and because he feels gay and lesbian relationships are against his religion.

If it was not so far in the boonies...I would say a bunch of people should go to his place and find the most expensive stuff in the store...put it on the counter...and then say...oops...didn't notice the sign until now...I'm gay....bye! And have it repeatedly happen.

My family did some summer vacations around there on Norris Lake which is actually some damned in rivers. Just south of there is Knoxville and south of that the Great Smoky with two funky towns on the way in. And from there you can hook into the Blue Ridge and Asheville. It's beautiful all up in there but that part of TN up by Norris is way rural. Not a lot of anyone will see that sign.

That's great business sense to exclude and alienate the one segment of the population most interested in home improvement, but Washburn, TN, looks pretty remote so I doubt there are many openly gay homes nearby his store.

In the final analysis, he's just another bigot who wraps himself in scripture to justify his hate. There are still so many!

metta8 saidIf it was not so far in the boonies...I would say a bunch of people should go to his place and find the most expensive stuff in the store...put it on the counter...and then say...oops...didn't notice the sign until now...I'm gay....bye! And have it repeatedly happen.

jeepguySD saidThat's great business sense to exclude and alienate the one segment of the population most interested in home improvement, but Washburn, TN, looks pretty remote so I doubt there are many openly gay homes nearby his store.

In the final analysis, he's just another bigot who wraps himself in scripture to justify his hate. There are still so many!

You would really be surprised how many gay men live in these remote, rural communities. A sizably large portion of small town and rural America is closet case central.

jeepguySD saidThat's great business sense to exclude and alienate the one segment of the population most interested in home improvement, but Washburn, TN, looks pretty remote so I doubt there are many openly gay homes nearby his store.

In the final analysis, he's just another bigot who wraps himself in scripture to justify his hate. There are still so many!

You would really be surprised how many gay men live in these remote, rural communities. A sizably large portion of small town and rural America is closet case central.

Yes, I'm sure those areas have their share of closeted LGBTQ people -- perhaps even a higher number per capita because it is "easier" to be out in a cosmopolitan city. By seeing a "NO GAYS ALLOWED" sign, those people still in the closet are likely to feel an even greater need to hide, to deny their true selves, due to the social stigma they are likely to encounter in such an isolated, intolerant place. Which goes to my point that there are probably very few openly gay patrons of his business.

By contrast, a "NO GAYS ALLOWED" sign in a business in San Diego is unimaginable.

Incidentally, this Baptist minister perceives himself as persecuted. What a twit! He is truly contemptible.

No Muslims allowed (on Friday, their holy day)No Jews allowed (on Saturday, just doing them a favor).No Christians allowed (on Sunday - they should be in Church)No women allowed (on Monday, isn't that wash day?)No men allowed (on Tuesday, exercise your privilege, hit the golf course!)No foreigners allowed (on Wed, this is when we expect the white men to be back after golfing; can't have anyone in their way).No space aliens Allowed (on Thurs, including those pretending to be humans).

So, in other words, he just found out some of his neighbors are gay. Now should only he realize that it took more courage for his friends and customers to stand up for their gay relations inside his store than it was for him to post hate at the door.

metta8 saidThe new sign reads: “We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone who would violate our rights of freedom of speech and freedom of religion.”

His posting of such signs suggests his freedom of speech hasn't been violated. And has he been blocked from attending his church? Have the services & sermons there been changed or restricted because of gay people?